Terrence sat back on his bed, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. Life has become surprisingly normal here. His room, once sparse and impersonal, had slowly become more of a reflection of himself. Posters of his favorite bands and a few sports memorabilia adorned the walls, giving it a lived-in feel. His most cherished items—his skateboard, a few random trinkets—were placed carefully around, making it feel more like home. Even the clutter now felt comfortable.

Sometimes, he'd text his best friend back in D.C. Just quick updates on how things were going. Nothing major, but it was nice to stay connected.

His family dynamic had changed too. His host parents had asked him to call them "Mom" and "Dad," and after a couple of awkward weeks, it started to feel natural. The siblings no longer knocked before entering his room. Honestly, he didn’t mind. It wasn’t that they were suddenly loud and open, but more like the walls had come down between them. They’d started to settle into a routine with him, and he was beginning to feel like part of the family—without the awkwardness.
Genevieve barged into his room, her voice muffled by a hair tie in her mouth. Wait—scratch that, it was a bit annoying. "Terrence, you coming? I'm meeting friends at the café to work on a project. It’ll be fun, and they’d love for you to hang out."

Terrence groaned, pulling the blanket higher over his head. "I’m good, thanks. Not really in the mood tonight."

“Come on,” she said, sitting next to him and tugging at the blanket. “It’s a chance to hang out with everyone while we work on the project. I’d really like you to join us.”

Terrence hesitated, rubbing his eyes. “Fine. But I’m not staying long. It’s kinda late, and I’m wiped.”

Genevieve grinned, clearly pleased with herself, and helped him choose his clothes.

As they made their way out, they passed by the kitchen where Augustin and their mom were already eating. They headed out the door and soon found themselves at the school's café—a perk of going to a place like this. The school café wasn’t just any average hangout. It was spacious, with comfy booths and tables that felt more like a trendy coffee shop than a cafeteria. The smell of fresh pastries and brewed coffee wafted through the air, and the usual hum of students was a comforting background noise.

Terrence couldn’t help but notice how normal everything felt. 

They joined Genevieve’s friends at a large table. After settling into their seats, Terrence got up to order something. As he walked toward the counter, he accidentally bumped into someone—the guy from before, the one he’d flipped off on the first day he arrived.

“Oh. Hey,” Terrence said awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably as he continued walking. “I don’t know if you remember me, but... I feel bad about earlier. Let’s just call it water under the bridge.”

The guy paused, looking at Terrence with an unreadable expression. After a beat, he said, “I remember you. Actually... I left you a letter. Did you get a chance to read it?”

Terrence froze, his stomach dropping. He quickly pulled the crumpled letter from his bag and opened it again. “Oh, you’re the one? Yeah, I read it... I don’t usually use my locker, but I came by tonight and found it. I’m still not really sure what it means… did you want to fight or something?”

The guy’s face shifted uncomfortably, and he quickly shook his head. “No. It’s not like that. I just... I think you’re someone I could look up to. I wanted to get to know you better, but... I didn’t mean to make it weird.”

Terrence blinked. “Wait. What?” He didn’t even know how to respond. Was this guy confessing to him? He felt like the floor had dropped out from under him. This wasn’t something that happened to him. Men dating men? His stomach twisted in confusion, a cocktail of embarrassment and discomfort mixing with a rush of unfamiliar thoughts. Wait, calm down and think rationally. Maybe he was misunderstanding the whole thing.

“Oh, so... like friends?” The question slipped out before he could stop it, his voice betraying the uncertainty he was feeling.

The guy shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flickering briefly before he spoke. “Yeah, kinda… but, I mean, it’s more than that. I just think you’re someone special, you know? Not in a... normal way. I just...”

Before Terrence could say anything else, the guy shoved a small, neatly wrapped box into his hands. “Here,” he said, his voice slightly higher than usual, as though unsure of how his words were landing. “It’s just... a token of my admiration for you. I think you’re really great.”

Terrence stared at the box for a moment, his fingers feeling clumsy as he slowly unwrapped it. Inside, a sleek watch gleamed, its polished surface catching the light with an elegance that felt out of place in his hands. He had no idea what to do with it.

“For me?” he asked, his voice sounding smaller than he intended, almost unsure.

The guy nodded eagerly, his eyes wide, as if he was waiting for Terrence to have some kind of reaction. “Yeah... I just thought you might like it.”

Terrence was still processing everything. Why had this guy given him a gift like that? What was he supposed to do with it? It wasn’t just the price tag, though that alone was ridiculous. It was the implication—you're someone special. Like Terrence was someone worth admiring, someone good. The words felt off, like they belonged to someone else.

He let out a laugh, too short and too forced. “Well… yeah, okay,” he said, forcing a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thanks, I guess.”

But even as he said it, the confusion churned in his chest. What had he done to earn that kind of attention? That kind of affection?

Why would you admire me?

The thought pressed hard against the back of his mind, a quiet, honest whisper beneath the noise.

Before he could make things any more awkward, the guy mumbled a quick, “No problem,” and hurried away, leaving Terrence standing there, still holding the box in his hands, completely stunned. The watch wasn’t something he would’ve picked out for himself, but there was no denying it—expensive, polished, and definitely a luxury item. It felt... excessive.

Still, he couldn’t help but slip it onto his wrist, staring at the gleaming surface. This whole thing felt like a mistake, a strange blip in his otherwise simple life. A guy he barely knew had just handed him a high-end watch. Why? What the hell is going on? Terrence’s mind raced as he glanced around the café, searching for some sign that this wasn’t as weird as it felt. But no one seemed to be paying attention to him. The moment passed, and it was as if nothing had happened at all.

Later, back at home, Terrence sat at the dinner table, still absently adjusting the watch on his wrist. The strange feeling from earlier settled in the pit of his stomach. The watch was nice, sure, but this wasn’t his style—he didn’t ask for it, didn’t expect it, and the whole thing had been weird. But, hey, it was free. Maybe he could just forget about it.

Genevieve, ever observant, was the first to notice. “Nice watch,” she said casually, glancing up from her phone. “Where’d you get it?”

Terrence shrugged, trying to brush it off. “It’s a gift. Some guy from school. Didn’t really ask for it, but hey, it’s a nice piece.”

Augustin, who had been quietly scrolling through his phone, didn’t even lift his head at first. But then, he paused. His eyes flicked to the watch for a moment, his brow furrowing just slightly before he went back to his phone. “A gift from a guy you barely know, huh?” His voice was laid-back, almost bored—but there was a sharpness to it, something under the surface that wasn’t quite as casual as it sounded.

Terrence said lazily, adjusting the band again. “Yeah, well, it’s expensive. Not gonna turn that down.”

Augustin shrugged one shoulder, tapping a few times on his phone, but his eyes stayed on the watch. “Just saying, people don’t hand out expensive stuff for no reason. You don’t know what he’s after.”

Terrence shot him an irritated glance, still twisting the watch on his wrist. “I’m not worried. It’s just a watch. Not like he’s asking for anything.”

Mrs. Valice, who had been quietly listening to the exchange, looked up at them. “Are you going to give it back?”

Terrence blinked, caught off guard by her question. “Uh, no? It’s a gift. What, you think I’m just handing back free luxury watches?” He couldn’t help but think, The guy should’ve thought about it before gifting it to me.

Augustin set his fork down, his gaze steady on Terrence. “Look, I’m just saying—people don’t give gifts like that for nothing. He barely knows you. Might be after something, even if it’s just your attention. Or maybe he likes you. Either way… just be careful. You don’t really know who you’re dealing with.”

Terrence exhaled sharply, trying to ignore the way Augustin’s words twisted something in his chest. The guy hadn’t asked for anything—he’d just handed over the watch and walked away. No pressure. No expectations.

But Augustin’s concern felt different. It wasn’t like the cynical warnings Terrence was used to back in D.C.—the ones laced with mockery or jealousy. This was quieter. Protective. Like Augustin actually cared about him. Maybe more than Terrence was ready to admit.

And that unsettled him in a way he couldn’t name.

“Don’t overthink it,” Terrence said, forcing a shrug. “It’s just a watch. Not like I’m getting married to the guy or something.” He threw on a quick, lopsided grin. “No one’s dropping to one knee. Anyway, I’m not exactly what you'd call ‘charming’—I’m more of a work-in-progress, you know? Not the type who gets swooned over, really.”

Their mom smiled, gentle and unbothered. “Well, if he’s not worried about that, why should we be? And don’t talk like that about yourself, sweetheart. That says more about them than it does about you.”

Terrence nodded, appreciating the lighter approach. He didn’t want anyone looking into this too much. Still, the awkwardness of it lingered in his mind, the weight of the watch reminding him that this wasn’t over yet.

Maybe he’d wear it for a while, just to see what happened. Still, Augustin’s words echoed in his mind: Be careful.

Terrence wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be looking out for. All he knew was that this wasn’t as simple as it seemed. Maybe the guy was secretly trying to recruit him for a cult, or he was going to show up at his door with a knife. Who knew?

Later that night, after dinner, Terrence sat in his room, staring at the watch on his wrist. The weight of it felt different now, pressing into him in a way that made him uneasy. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, though he couldn't pinpoint why. Maybe it was the way it seemed too perfect, too polished—like it didn’t belong in his life. Or maybe it was the guy’s strange, unreadable expression earlier, as if there was more to the gesture than just a gift. Terrence couldn’t stop thinking about the way the guy had looked at him, almost as if he were... waiting for something.

With a frustrated sigh, Terrence slid the watch off his wrist and turned it over in his hands. The light from his desk lamp caught its surface one last time. It felt heavy in his palm, too heavy for something so small. For a moment, he just stared at it, unsure of what to make of it.

Finally, he placed the watch back into its box, carefully closing it before shoving it deep into his closet, between a stack of jackets. It felt safer there—out of sight, out of mind.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen: a message from Genevieve. “You sure you’re okay with that watch? Augustin’s right, it’s a little weird. You don’t want to be dragged into something you’re not ready for.”

Terrence stared at the message for a moment, his fingers hovering over the screen. He didn’t want to admit that he was starting to feel the weight of it all—he didn’t want to overthink things, but it was getting harder to ignore that nagging feeling. He quickly typed a reply: “It’s fine. Really. I’m not wearing it anymore. No big deal. If it turns out I’m being lured into a shady business venture, I’ll let you know.”

Even as he sent the message, he knew it wasn’t that simple. There was something about the watch, something about the guy, that he couldn’t shake. And for the first time, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer.